Weeks after the conclusion of the 2023 general election, a source has revealed how some politicians and political parties worked extra hard alongside some Resident Electoral Commision (RECs) to undermine the electoral process.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the main opposition parties have constantly criticised the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) over its conduct of the 2023 elections, but that the source said Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, was truly determined to use technology to drive credible polls via Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and Result IINEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
“We saw all the attempts some politicians, even parties made to abort the use of technology for the polls. Some people even went to court about four times and there were also efforts to remove Yakubu on this premise but he stood his ground” Vanguard quotes the INEC source as saying.
Furthermore, he disclosed how the activities of some RECs impacted negatively on the outcome of the polls.
According to him, “some RECs were clearly partisan, for instance, 19 RECs were appointed close to the polls and many of them were clearly partisan and to make matters worse some were deployed to states where they had sympathy for the ruling parties. Should we also blame INEC or the Chairman for this?”
This newspaper understands that INEC had carried out disciplinary measures against erring staff to the extent of recommending to President Muhammadu Buhari the sacking of two RECs who had been found wanting in their conduct in the elections.
